Nottingham Forest have parted ways with their head coach, Nuno Espirito Santo, just three games into the new Premier League season. Nuno guided Nottingham Forest from the brink of relegation to a position in Europe.
Despite Forest’s success on the pitch, Nuno will not be a part of the club for the remainder of the campaign. Having just signed a new three-year deal in June, it comes as a shock to many football fans that the Portuguese manager is leaving the club this early.
Why was Nuno Espirito Santo Sacked?
Doubt was cast over Nuno Espirito Santo’s future after his relationship with the club owner, Evangelos Marinakis, had broken down over the summer. Nuno was irritated by the time it took to complete transfers during the window and fell out with Forest’s new head of global football, Edu.
Nottingham Forest signed 13 players for about £196m based on reported initial fees. Anthony Elanga, Danilo, and Wayne Hennessey were among the departures.
“I always had a very good relationship with the owner – last season we were very close and spoke on a daily basis. This season it is not so well,” Nuno said. “Our relationship has changed and we are not as close. Everybody at the club should be together but this is not the reality.”
Marinakis was unhappy with Nuno taking the issue publicly and eventually waited until the International break to end ties with the first team’s head coach.
How did Nottingham Forest Perform Under Nuno Espirito Santo?
Nuno performed an excellent job during his tenure as the head coach of Nottingham Forest. He was appointed as Steve Cooper’s successor and took over the club in 17th place in the Premier League.
The club was handed a four-point deduction for a breach of Premier League profit and sustainability rules (PSR). Despite the points deduction, they still finished the season in 17th, 6 points above relegation.
Nottingham Forest were amongst the favourites to go down the following season. However, Nuno delivered his magic at the City Ground. He steered the club away from relegation and into Europe. They were set to qualify for the Champions League; however, the club crumbled in the last few gameweeks and finished the season placed 7th. They qualified for the Conference League but were moved into the Europa League for 2025-26 after Crystal Palace were deemed to be in breach of multi-club ownership rules. This is the first time Nottingham Forest will play in Europe in 30 years.
Who is Likely to Replace Nuno Espirito Santo?
Former Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou is in line to replace Nuno at Nottingham Forest. The Australian manager broke headlines last season after ending Tottenham Hotspur’s trophy drought by beating Manchester United in the Europa League final.
However, despite his success in Europe, his actions were deemed as not good enough as the club finished 17th in the Premier League, just one position above the relegation zone. Ange guided Tottenham to a fifth-place finish in his first season at the club and was praised for his showing of courage while attacking. It is reported that Postecoglou will take charge of the club ahead of their clash with Arsenal on Saturday.
Conclusion
Nuno’s departure after just three games is a stark reminder of how ruthless football can be at the top level. At the top level of football, patience is in short supply and expectations run high. Nuno’s time at Nottingham Forest will be fondly remembered by the fans at City Ground, and they will hope that the new manager can at least replicate Nuno’s achievements to some extent.
Written by: Thillai Ritvik
